Vending machine



June 6, 1933. M. H. RICHARDSON ET AL VENDING MACHINE Filed June 29, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l v k T t; W

FLJERTE 6 8 K J1me 1933- M. H. RICHARDSON ET AL 1,912,999

VENDING MACHINE June 6, 1933. 'M. H. RICHARDSON El AL 1,912,999

VENDING MACHINE Filed June 29; 1929 4 Sheets-Shegt 3 June 1933- M. H. RICHARDSON ET AL 1,912,999

VENDING MACHINE Filed June 29, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 HLBERTEGEBERI- Patented June 6,

UNITED STATES PATET OFFICE MYRON H. RICHARDSON, OF CHICAGO, AND ALBERT E. GEIBERT, OF WILMETTE, ILLI- NOIS, ASSIGNORS TO ADVANCE MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .A.

CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS Application filed me 29,

'vended, thearticlesfrom one supply being vended in advance of the other.

A further object is to provide an 1mproved machine of this character embodying two adjacent containers for the articles,

and improved ejecting means for delivering the articles from one supply beneath the other supply until the supply from one container is exhausted and then delivering; the articles from the other supply, the articles from the first container or supply successively co-operating with the ejector for delivering or dispensing the next precedmg article from the same supply until all of. the articles have been delivered therefrom, and improved means for then successively delivering the articles from the second sup ply or container.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention, and in which Figure 1 is a detail sectional view partly in elevation and partly broken away, and as taken on line 11, Figure 2, of a machine of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

FigureQ is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on line 2--2, Figure 1, with parts omitted.

Figure 3 isa detail vertical sectional view with parts omitted and as taken on line 33, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4 1, Figure 3, showing the parts in one position and with the ejecting mecha- VENDING MACHINE 1929. Serial No. 374,872.

nism op'eratingto deliver the articles from one container beneath the articles in the other container.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 4 with parts omitted, and showing the ejecting mechanism in tion.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the ejecting mechanism ejecting the last article from the last supply.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 5 with the parts in another position.

Figure 6 is a detailed view of a portion of the coin controlled mechanism.

Figure 7 is a detailed elevation showing the coin carrier and the means for retaining the same against delivery from the coin carrier under predetermined conditions.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional View taken on line 8-8, F igure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the numeral 10 designates generally a housing or casing which may be of any desired size and configuration and arranged within the housing intermediate the top and bottom thereof and extending partially thereacross, is a platform or support 11 upon which the articles from the supplies rest to be delivered or ejected from the machine. This platform or support 11 terminates short of one of the walls of the casing so as to form a delivery chute 12 into which the articles are delivered so that they may be removed from the front 13 of the machine.

Extending also across the casing and se cured preferably to the sides thereof is a support 14 which may be provided, with slots 15 therein for the reception of fastening devices .16, such as screwsor the lik e which serve as a means for adjustably securing uprights 17 in position. These uprights 17 are arranged above the platform or support 11 and are adjustable relatively another or retracted posiwith respect to each other so as to comthe partition 18 terminates short of the platform or support 11, as: shown more clearly in Figures 4 and 5 so as not to interfere with the passage of the articles beneath the partition.

An ejector designated generally by the reference numeral 21 is slidably mounted upon the platform or support 11 and the ejector is held in position with respect to the support preferably by fianging the edges 22 thereof over the edges of the platform or support 11.

Brackets 23 are connected with and depend from the ejector 21 below the platform or support 11 and these brackets form bearings for a shaft 24. Pivotally mounted upon the shaft 24 is a member 25 and adjustably connected with the member 25 and through the medium of a body portion 26 are arms 27. The body portion 26 may be adjustably secured to the member 25 by means of screws 28 passing through suitable slots 29 in the body portion 26, for a purpose to be set forth.

Depending from a suitable support, preferably the platform 11, are bearing members 30 in which a shaft 31 is journaled. Connected with the shaft 31 are arms or cranks 32 and to these arms or cranks 32 are connected the arms 27, preferably through the medium of screws 33 which pass through an opening 34 in the respective arms 32, any number of which openings may be provided to varythe point of connection of the arms 27 with the arms 32 and thereby vary the throw or movement of the ejector by the rotation of the shaft 31. The screw and slot connections 29 between the body portion 26 and the member 25 are also provided for adjustment purposes.

Thus it will be seen that when the shaft 31 is rotated, the ejector 21 will be reciprocated and will slide upon the support or platform 11.

Any suitable means may be provided for reciprocating the ejector such as a handle 35 arranged outside of the casing and in a suitable position for the operator.

The handle 35 is connected with the shaft 31 through the medium of check controlled mechanism illustrated generally in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings. The specific construction of the check mechanism, however, forms no part of the present invention. Suffice to say, that connected with the handle 35 is a rotatable element 36 having asocket 37 therein and into which socket one end of the shaft 31 is inserted, the socket and the corresponding end of the shaft being angular in cross section so that by the rotation of the shaft 36 the shaft 31 will be correspondingly rotated.

Connected also with the handle 35 through the medium of a shaft 38 is a check or coin carrying member 39 having a check or coin seat 40 therein, into which the check or coin 41 is adapted to be seated. The check will be retained in its seat 40 until a projection 42 which stands adjacent the path of movement of the check in the can rier, is withdrawn and when the member 42 is withdrawn the check will be delivered from the check carrier and the check con trolled mechanism will be operated to rotate the shaft 31, all in a manner well known in this art.

Thus, when a proper check has been inserted in the machine and when articles are contained within the container the ejector 21 may be reciprocated.

The articles 43 in the container 19 are superposed and a weight 44, suitably guided, may be provided to rest upon the articles 43. Similarly, the articles 45 will be superposed in the container 20 and a weight 46 will be provided to add the necessary weight to cause the articles to be fed downwardly.

The weights 44 and 46 may be limited in their downward movements in any suitable manner preferably by means of projections 47 which slide in suitable openings between the uprights 17 and 19 and are adapted to engage stops 48 at the base of the respective containers so as to hold the weights 4%. 46 up and out of the way so that they will not interfere with the operation of the jector 21 when the containers 19 and 20 are empty, as shown more clearly in Figure 5 of the drawings.

The platform or support 11 is provided with slots 49 therethrough and pivotally connected with the ejector 21 preferably upon the shaft 24 is a member 50 provided with arms 51 having fingers 52. Two of these slots 49 are shown although any de sired number may be employed, and any number of fingers 5152 may also be employed, in accordance with the number of slots.

A spring 53 preferably encompasses the shaft 24 and engages the member 50 and operates upon the arms 51 and lingers'52, so that the normal tendency of the arms and fingers will be to move the fingers 52 through the slots 49 so that the fingers will stand above the platform or support 11 when the fingers are in alinement with the respective slots.

Thus it will be seen that unless the fingers 52 and arms 51 are depressed they will project through the slots 49 and reciprocate above the platform or support 11 and over the platform or support at the end of the slots 49 so that when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 5 and the ejector is advanced to the position shown in Figure 5 to eject an article 45 from the container 20 by the fingers 52, the remaining articles in the container 20, if there are any, resting upon the top of the fingers 52 will not depress the fingers; aslthis movement ofthe fingers will, be prevented by the fact that the: fingers will in such a positionp-(Figure 5) rest uponthe platform-11. i i

When there are articles in thercontainer 19and the ejector is moved to the position shown in Figure 4 the weight ofthe articles 43in the container 19 will hold the fingers 52 and arms 51 inthe position shown in;Iiigur(;r4"" so that one of the articles 43 in the container19 will co-operate with the ejector 21 to ejectthe lowermost article from the container 20. j a a w In order to control the ejection or delivery of the articles from the machine by the articles themselves, suitable means are provided to release the. check or coin 41 when the parts assume the position'shown in Fig ure 7 so asto allow the check or coin to drop out of the seat 40 in the check carrier 39. To accomplishthis it is only necessary to withdraw themember 42. Therefore, it is only necessary that the articles in the containers shallcontrol thewithdrawal of the member 42. a a i a To that end there is provideda member 54 in the form of a rock shaft, one end 55 of which is deflected laterally and engages a spring 56 and which spring tends to rock the member 54 in a direction to cause a portion 57 thereof to normallyextend above the platform '11 to; project through asuitable opening58 preferably below the container 20 so that when the articles are in the container 20 the weight of the articles upon the portion 57 of the member 54 will rock the member 54 against the stress of the spring 56 from the position shown in Figure 5, to the position shown in Figure 4.

The member 57 is connected with a link 58 which in turn is connected with a rock shaft 59, through the medium of an arm 60. The other end of the shaft 59 is shaped to form an arm 61 which in turn is con- T nected with the member 42, the latter being pivotally supported as at 62. Thus it will be seen when the member 57 is depressed the shaft 59 will be rocked and the member 42 will be withdrawn so as to permit the coin 41 to fall out of the seat or pocket 40.

If there is no article in the container 20 or upon the support or platform 11 resting upon the portion 57 of the member 54 to hold the latter depressed, the spring will project the portion 57 of the member 54 above the platform or support 11 and will thereby cause the member 42 to be projected beneath the check 41 and prevent the latter from dropping out of the seat 40, with the result that the check will then be returned to the operator and the ejector will not then be actuated.

The operation of the device is as follows. Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Figure 4*, that is with the ejector 21 fretr'actedandthe containers 19 and 20 filled with the articles to be vended.- The articles 45 in the container20 will rest upon the support or platform 11 while thearticles 43 in the container 19 w'ill also rest upon the platform, with the result that the articles 43. willhold the fingers and arms 51 and 52 depressed and the articles 45 will hold the portion 57 (see F igure 5) of the member 54 depressed to withdraw the member 42 (Figures 7 and 18) so that when the check carrier 39 assumes the position shown in Figure 7 the check 41 will drop out ofthe check seat 40. i

This willall happen when the handle 35 is turned in one direction.

When the handle 35 is then turned in the opposite direction the check control mechanism will be released and the shaft 31 will be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 4a so as to move the ejector 21 from the position shown in Figure 4a to the position shown in Figure 1. During this movement ofthe ejector 21, the lowermost article 43 in the container 19 will form a portion of the ejector 29 so asto advance and deliver the lowermost article 45from the container 20 and will then position the lowermost article 43 from the container 19 beneath the articles 45 in the container 20. When the ejector 21 is retracted another article 43 will move downwardly in the container 19 to the position shown in Figure 4a. a a j a j Upon thenextforward movement of the ejector 21 it will be manifest that one of the packages 43 will again form apportion of the ejector and the previously positioned article 43 beneath the supply 45 (see Figure 4) willthen be ejected. This operation will be continued until all of the articles from the container 19 have been delivered in ad- Vance of the articles 45.

When the container 19 is empty the pins 47 will hold the weight 44 in a position that the arms 51 andfingers 52 under the influence of the spring 53 (see Figure5) will move through the slots 49 to the position shown in Figure 5, in advance of the ejector 21.

Upon'the next operation of the ejector 21 the fingers 52 willeject the articles 45 as the fingers 52 andarms-51 will be maintained elevated. Duringthe ejection of the articles 45 by the fingers 52 it will be manifest that the finger-s52 will move beyond the slots 59 so-as to engage and rest upon the top of the supportor platform 11 (see Figure 5) so that the weight of thesuperposed articles 45in thecontainer 20 will not depress the fingers 521 and arms 51; v 7

hen the ejector 21 and the fingers 52 are then moved backwardly to the position shown in Figure 5 another article 45 will be placedin advance of the fingers 52 to be ejected upon the next operation of the ejector and. fingers 52.

It will therefore be manifest that all of the articles from the rear container will be dispensed first and will be passed under the supply of articles .in the container 20. During the delivery of the articles 48 from the container 19 the fingers 52 and arms 51 will remain inactive as they will be maintained depressed. However, when the container 19 becomes empty then the fingers 52 and arms 51 will move into an operative position (see Figure 5) so that the articles from the container 20 may then be dispensed.

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is 1. A vending machine embodying two adjacent containers for the articles to be vended, a support spaced below and extending beneath both of the containers for receiving the articles therefrom, said support having an elongated opening therethrough, an ejector for ejecting the articles from one container in advance of the other, said ejector movable upon the said support, an opcrating shaft below the said support, means for rocking the shaft, a connection betweenthe shaft and ejector, a supplemental ejector pivotally connected with the first said ejector, said supplemental ejector being maintained in an inactive position to operate beneath said support by the presence of arcles in one of the containers, and means for causing the supplemental ejector to assume a position to operate above and across the said support in the absence of articles in the last recited container.

2. A vending machine embodying two adj acent containers for the articles to be vended, a support spaced below and extending beneath both of the containers for receiving the articles therefrom, said support having an elongated opening therethrough, an ejector for ejecting the articles from one container in advance of the other, said ejector movable upon the said support, an operating shaft below the said support, means for rocking the shaft, a connection between the shaft and ejector, a supplemental ejector pivotally connected with the first said ejector, said supplemental ejector being maintained in an inactive position to operate beneath said support by the presence of articles in one of the containers, and means for causing the supplemental ejector to assame a position to operate above and across the said support in the absence of articles in the last recited container, said support also operating to maintain the said supplemental ejector from being positioned below the support, by the presence of articles in the other of said containers.

3. A vending machine embodying two adjacent containers for the articles to be vended, a support spaced below and extending beneath both of the containers for receiving the articles therefrom, said support having an elongated opening therethrough, an ejector for ejecting the articles from one container in advance of the other, said ejector movable upon thesaid support, an operating shaft below the said support, means for rocking the shaft, a connection between the shaft and ejector, a supplemental ejector pivotally connected with the first said ejector, said supplemental ejector being maintained in an inactive position to operate beneath said support by the presence of articles in one of the containers, and means for causingthe supplemental ejector to as same a position to operate above and across the said support in the absence of articles in the last recited container, a portion of said supplemental ejector engaging over the upper surface of saidsupport beyond said opening, whereby the supplemental ejector will be locked against depression below the support by articles to be ejected by the supplemental ejector.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, on this 19th day of June, AD. 1929.

MYRON H. RICHARDSON. ALBERT E. GEBERT. 

